Earlier this year, Mrs. Cox was awarded a grant through the Bethel Education Foundation for the purchase of a classroom set of Ozobots–small, smart robots that can follow lines or roam around independently, detect colors (which are programmed to give the robot directions on what to do or where to go) or can be programmed. Last week, our long awaited robots arrived!

Knowing basic math facts is essential in doing well in higher level math. Everything from decimals to fractions to algebra to trigonometry require automaticity in basic facts–addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Automaticity refers to knowing something so well that it becomes automatic, like driving a car. We don’t think about activating the wipers, using our turn signal or applying the brakes as we drive, we just do it. This is automaticity. And we need it in math, too.

In fourth grade, students are expected to already have achieved mastery–and automaticity–in addition, subtraction and multiplication (1-12’s). Unfortunately, many students haven’t reached a mastery level and, therefore, are not automatic. This inhibits their ability to quickly and correctly answer other, more difficult questions in math. Students get “stuck” on trying to figure out the multiplication involved that they lose the rhythm and steps required to answer the problem. So, what do we do? We practice and we practice and we practice some more! Continue reading Rocket Math Launches Students to Success!

Room 13 celebrated Valentine’s Day today with our Valentine Box Contest. The students’ boxes this year showed such resourcefulness and creativity! Of particular interest was Aliyah and Alanna’s boxes that, when placed side by side, read “Best Friends” much like those nostalgic charms you may have shared with your childhood BFF. These lovely ladies shared the 1st place win in the “Cutest” category, as did Korynn and Mikayla who tied for first place in our “Overall Favorite” category.

Each year, the Bethel Education Foundation (BEF) gives thousands of dollars to teachers and staff for projects and supplies in the form of grants with the mission of enhancing and investing in educational excellence in the Bethel School District. This year was no different. BEF gave out 40 grants (out of 86 submissions) across the district, totaling $35,493! Room 13 was fortunate to be among the selected recipients with not one, but two winning grant submissions! Continue reading Mrs. Cox Wins BEF Grants!

4th grade students at Clear Lake will take a test called the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card, on February 2, 2017. This assessment tracks what students in the United States know and can do in key subject areas. 6,000 to 20,000 students per tested grade across the US participate in the NAEP measurement in any given year, but not all 4th grade students will be tested. In fact, not even all 4th grade Bethel students will take it. The NAEP organization uses a “sampling procedure to ensure that those selected to participate in NAEP will be representative of the geographical, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of schools and students across the nation”.Continue reading 4th Grade CL Students Participate in National Test

It’s time for Room 13’s Valentine Box Contest to begin! Each student will need to bring a homemade Valentine mailbox (or envelope!) to school on or before Friday, February 10th.

Start with a shoebox or other enclosed container, then use your imagination to create an original Valentine box. You might use wrapping paper, construction paper, wallpaper scraps, fabric, craft foam, a paper bag or anything else you can find to cover the box. Decorate with stickers, magazine pictures, felt, glitter, paint pens, pom-poms, lace, doilies, flowers — let your imagination run free with it! Boxes can be as simple or extravagant as you want. Continue reading 2017 Valentine Box Contest

Clear Lake is holding a Box Tops collection competition February 6th through 10th. The class with the most Box Tops will earn a popcorn party. Room 13 has done an exceptional job this year participating in fundraising events, and I suspect we will be in the top groups competing for the party. Thank you so much, Room 13 families!

To help families compile their stash of Box Tops, I’m posting a downloadable Box Top Collection Sheet. Completing the sheet is easy–just tape a Box Top in a square. You could probably even convince your child to do it; my own children love doing this! Sheets do not have to be completely filled for the Box Tops to count. Only have 1 or 2? No problem! Just tape them down and send them in! Don’t want to tape them down? Just send them in. We’ll take them, no matter how they get here!

The competition ends February 10th, so don’t delay! Send in those Box Tops today!

Sometimes the school day just needs a little shaking up to keep things fresh and moving! This has been especially true following all of the crazy schedule changes we’ve had due to snow and ice. Today, this meant a few minutes of dancing to one of our favorite songs, Fight Song by Rachel Platten. Courtesy of Go Noodle, students whipped out some quick dance steps and sang their hearts out while resetting for the rest of our day.

The district has finalized plans to make up lost classroom time due to the six snow days and two delayed starts we’ve had so far this winter. These changes will allow Clear Lake students to recover meaningful instructional time without putting a big dent in family summer plans.

Here are the changes:

February 13 (previously a high school no-school day) will become a school day for all district students

February 20 (Presidents Day) will become a school day for all students

March 3 (previously a no-school day for K-8 students) will become a school day for all students

Monday June 19th, and Tuesday June 20thwill be full school days for K-11 students (seniors will have graduated)

June 20thwill now be the last day of school for students (it will be a full-day, not an early release)

If we have additional Snow Days this winter they may be added to the calendar after June 20th

Did you know that you can get all the important dates for Room 13’s events right on your calendar? That’s right! If you add our Room 13 calendar to your electronic calendar–Google, ical, etc.–every time we add an event to our calendar, it will show up on your existing calendar. Never again wonder if it’s Popcorn Friday, whether there’s a PTO meeting tonight or when the music concert is!

All you have to do is click on the link below (ical for Apple users; HTML for everyone else) and say “ok”. Bam! You’ve got the direct link to Room 13’s events and activities. You can also click on the plus sign located next to the words “Google Calendar” on our events calendar to the right of your screen and get our calendar directly linked.